PHBP Compares the current law (ACA) with the House's and Senate's bills in the pdf below. The proposed changes in either the House or Senate bills are not expected to affect group health plans - although there is a provision in the Senate bill that would allow more latitude to States to waive requirements dealing with annual limitations and required coverage of "essential health benefits". There is general consensus that the group market will not be immediately affected, but it is uncertain what the longer term impact will be in States that choose to limit coverage through a waiver process.

Covering your family is easy, and there's never been a better time to do so. Effective January 1, 2016, PHBP implemented a new dependent cost structure for our freelancers, resulting in dramatic cost savings for our freelance community. A freelancer with a spouse and two children pays only $450 a month for health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision, rather than the full amount of the premium that Anthem requires, $1,570.33 - that's a cost savings of over $1,000 per month.

The new cost structure works as follows: pay $250.00 per month for the first dependent, whether the dependent is a spouse, domestic partner, or child, and then $100.00 per month for each dependent thereafter.

Process for electing coverage for your family:

1. A freelancer may elect a dependent election during Open Enrollment (period typically spans from November until December 31st of the calendar year prior to the plan year), or when a "qualifying event" occurs. A "qualifying event" would be an event that qualifies as life event, such as a birth, death, marriage, or divorce. If looking to change or initiate a dependent election resulting from a "qualifying event", the Plan and your Employer must be notified within 31 days of the "qualifying event".

Looking to add a dependent, or notify us of a COBRA qualifying event? The forms you'll need for these administrative changes are here. Please note that when claiming disability, please make sure to send the claim form to your physician first, complete the portion of the form that you, as an employee, are responsible for filling out, as well, and then send the form to the email address indicated on the form.

We've tailored this section so that our employers have access to critical information concerning them. Please note that we now have a staff employee section of the website, so please direct your staff employees to that section of the website if they have questions - this section of the website is here to address employer level questions only.

This section will be updated monthly, or more frequently, should we need to inform you of something immediately.

As of January 22, 2016, your employer communication summary can be viewed by clicking below:

Welcome! This section of the website has been designed to provide potential employers with the information that they will need to know prior to joining PHBP.

The documents attached are:

- Participation Agreement - outlines information including the cost to the employer to cover non-union freelance employees in covered categories, what the covered categories are, and much more. Please note that this agreement needs to be signed prior to joining.

- Summary of reduced freelancer dependent cost, effective January 1, 2016 - from a freelancer/employee retention standpoint, this is a huge positive!

- Staff Contribution Monthly Amounts - if an employer elects to cover staff employees (there is no additional cost for freelancers beyond the amount indicated in the Participation Agreement, attached), premium amounts are payable to PHBP from the employer for their staff employees. Please note that the employer may ask that the employee reimburse the employer for up to 25% of the employee-only amount, and may require that the employee reimburse the employer in part or in full for any dependent coverage cost.

- Benefit Summaries -shows basic benefit information, such as deductible amounts and out-of-pocket maximums, across medical, dental, and vision. There are four: for medical, dental, vision and prescription benefits

Of course, PHBP is here to guide you through this process and answer any questions. Please contact Susan Kaiser, PHBP's Executive Director and Business Manager, at 646-370-1431.